The James Pratt Collection

The James Pratt Collection is officially open!

Housed in the SMU Hunt Institute at the Lyle School of Engineering, the Pratt Collection is a reference library that features rare books, manuscripts, and personal files from Mr. Pratt’s career as an architect in Dallas. In this collection, you’ll find hundreds of volumes on urban design, architectural history, landscape architecture, local building projects, and design theory, just to name a few.

Mr. Pratt has graciously donated the library from his renowned firmPratt, Box, and Henderson, as well as volumes from his personal collection. A multitude of hard-to-find and out-of-print publications arrived with this gift that are sure to fill the gaps in any serious researcher’s study.

From Rome to Tokyo, from Athens to Dallas, the James Pratt Collection crosses national boundaries and covers the globe to inspire the next generation of urbanists, architects, artists and humanitarians. The Hunt Institute believes this collection serves not only as an active tribute to one of the preeminent influencers of modern Dallas, but also represents a significant new resource for engineering students interested in pursuing careers in humanitarian-related fields.

We invite anyone who is interested in urbanism, architecture, art, or humanitarian issues to stop by the James Pratt Collection to pick up a book and explore the artistry, imagination, and knowledge of engineering with which architects and theorists both visualize and construct the spaces we call our homes, our cities, and our nations.

Most of all, we invite you to come honor the legacy of one of Dallas’ most visionary architects. James Pratt’s local and international influence deserves proper recognition, which is why the James Pratt Collection was assembled, serving as a humble tribute to his incredible life and career.

The James Pratt Collection is a functioning reference library, so books and materials cannot be removed from the Hunt Institute. You are, however, always welcome to pull a book from the shelf and conduct research during regular business hours.

Hunt Institute

Our Mission

The Hunt Institute's mission is to serve as a national and international hub to partner with leaders in business, academia, NGOs and government in order to develop and scale sustainable and affordable technologies and solutions to the challenges facing people locally and globally.

The Institute was founded in 2009 by Hunter and Stephanie Hunt to solve the most pressing problems of humanity. Today, the Institute continues to focus on specific issues that improve quality of life.

Founders: Hunter and Stephanie Hunt

Through its collaborative projects, the Institute seeks to:

improve the standard of living of the world's impoverished communities